Typewriting-machine attachment



. 1,628,102 J. L. BALLARD TYPEWRITING MACHINE ATTACHMENT Filed Aug. 22, 1925 2 Sheets-$heet 2 1d new.

314/0044 m JMII 1: 4 21/2921 Edi/4rd.

Patented May Ml,

UNITED STATES i,628,1fi2 PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN LAVIRENCE BALLARD, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

TYPEWRITING-MAGHINE ATTAGIIMENT.

Application filed August 22, 1925. Serial m. 51,829.

in self-contained relation as it were, 'lor facilely predetermining and indicating the appropriate positioning or setting of the tabulatorstops on the tabulator rack bar of typewriting machines, whether of the decimal tabulating, lrey set tabulating, or analogous types, in preparation for and in advance of actual. statistical or form writ-- ing of various kinds, where figures are to be disposed in vertical columnar arrangement across the writing surface of a page and with predetermined spacing between the columns.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages. however, as well as the manner of accomplishing the same, will be clearly apparent as incidental to the following disclosure. it is believed, so that with these general outlining remarks, and without in itial distinguishing over the prior art which is well understood, reference will be immediately had to the accon'ipanying drawings, illustrating a practical embodiment of the improvements, in which drawings:

Figure 1 a perspective view of the im proved adapter device, fully assembled and in its preferred ilorn'i as now employed, although susceptible of alterations within the scope of the broader invention; Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view along the line 2-8 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a detached plan view of a main indicator element that is adapted for adjustment longitudinally of the device: Figure 4 is an analogous view of an auxiliary indicator element, also functioning as a tabulator stop setting position finder. associated with said. main indicator element in conjoint and independent adjustable relation therewith; Figure 5 is a fragmei'itary top plan view of a typewriting machine, such as the commercially known Un derwood machine, showing the improved device in detachably fixed relation. on the carriage of the machine, relatively to the scale pointer of the machine, with the main indicator element set to indicate a column of ligurcs starting in the tens of thousands, and

with the auxiliary indicator element set to indicate a' distance of four spaces between columns; Figure 6 is an analogous view to Figure 5, but with the carriage of the machine shii'ted towards the extreme left end of the machine, and with a pointer on the auxiliary indicator element located at a predeterminedposition, dependent upon the.

margin to be left at the right side of the page to be written on; Figure 7 is a view analogous to Figure 6, but with the carriage and adapter shifted live spaces further to the left, of one space more than the indicated desired space between columns; Figure 8 is a view alanogous to Figure 7, but with the carriage and adapter now shifted to the right, so that the pointer onthe auxiliary indicator element will be opposite the graduation on the typewriter scale where the scale pointer of the machine was previously positioued in Figure 7 Figure 9 is a view analogous to Figure 8, but with the carriage iturt-l'ier shifted to the right in a manner analogous to that stated with reference to Figure 8; and Figure 10 is'a plan View of a portion of a sheet of paper, illustrating a tabular arrangement of numerical columns.

lVith the style of typewriting machine partially illustrated, at Figures 5 to 9 of the drawings, the same is provided with a scale bar 11, having graduations 12 reading from right to left. which scale bar is attached to the upper forward framework 13 ofthe machine, in fixed relation therewith and in association with a movable index pointer 15 fixedly centered on a forward. longitudinally disposed bar 14s of the platen carriage of the machine, so that the pointer will be operated along said scale.

As my improved attachment in its preferred form, am. as actually illustrated in the drawings, is-inore especially adapted for attachment to said platen carriage bar of such a type of machine, at the left of said machine index pointer, it will be so described insuch relation only, for the sake of simplicity of illustration and brevity of description. It is to be understood at the outset, however, that such disclosure is not intended as a limitation to the general scope and uses of the actual invention, because the broader principles thereof may OlJVlOUSlY be practiced. with other styles of typewriting machines, and even with those having mov able or carriage supported scale bars, by an equivalently functioning transposition of the parts of the device and the positioning of the same relatively to any particular one of various styles of typewriting machines, with which the device is susceptible of use.

In the device as illustrated, the adapter may embody a T-shaped element, or body support, having a lateral forward base web or bar 16 and a rearwardly projected web or arm 17, the forward edge face portion of the web 16 being provided with an upturned marginal flange 18. extending longitudinally thereof, which is preferably headed 0r beaded, as at 19, and the outer end of the arm 17 being provided with means for attaching the device to the aforesaid carriage bar 14, or other suitable part of the typewriting machine, although the actual. manner of supporting the base bar 16 is not necessarily an essential part of the im n'ovements and may obviously be varied.

A convenient means for this attachment, however, is shown as embodying an adjustably carried clamping member having a longitudinal web 20, 21 depending outer web 21 and an inner hook or downwardly projected inturned claw member the clamp ing member being adapted for encompassing the carriage bar 14 in a manner that is clearly apparent from Figures 5 to 9. The web 20 carries an adjusting binding screw 23, extending through a slot 24 in said arm 17, and the depending web 21 carries a suitable set screw 25, preferably having a. winged head and a loosely mounted engaging member, the whole clamp member providing for limited adjustable mounting of the base bar 16, which may be desirable in attaching the adapter device in properly positioned rela tion to the scale bar 11 of different type writing machines.

On the upper face of the base bar 16 there is disposed a scale member 26, shown as having thereon a digital key scale which for convenience of designation I shall refer to a main adapter scale, and which is illustrated as designating the numerical value of hundreds of billions. written thus 100,- llO0,000.000.00, preferably being appropriately divided off by commas and the usual decimal mark. However, the commas and decimal mark may or may not be employed, and the scale may obviously indicate other numerical values. than actually shown, or even be for other tabular designations; but it is essential that the graduations thereof be equidistantly spaced to correspond with the spacing of the graduations of the scale 12 of the typewriting machine, whether the latter scale is graduated for pica type, elite type, or otherwise.

For the foregoing and other reasons,

therefore, the main adapter scale 26 is preferably mounted as a detachable member or slide, so that one form of scale may be sub stit'uted for by another with the same adapter device, and this may be provided for by the cn'iployment of end guide members 27, inturned and spaced from the base web 16, which are closed at their lower ends and open at their upper ends.

The base bar it) is preferably provided with a forwardly projected pointer or its equivalent, located towards one end thereof. which may be conveniently referred to as the adapter positioning indicator. as it aids in determining the correct positioning of the adapter relatively to the machine carriage indicator 15, as will later appear, and in mounting the adapter scale 26, on its base bar support 16, the last character or naught of the scale 26 is disposed in registration with said pointer Slidingly associated with said main adapter scale. 26., wh ch functions as a column value or width indicating scale as will later appear, an adjustable main rider or indicator element 29. see Figure 3, which carries a machine scale pointer ill) or its equivalent, towards one end thereof, and which pointer 30 may be conveniently referred to as a decimal indicator, as it determines the position for setting.-- a decimal labulator stop, if desired, on the tabulator rack bar of the typewriting machine, as will also later appear, and also functions as a visual indicator of the position where the decimal should be located, even when writing with other styles of typewriters than actual decimal tabulatinnmachines. The said main rider or slide 29 also carries a main adapter scale pointer Ill, or its equivalent. disposed in a direction opposite to said decimal pointer lt) and located inwardly four scale gradualions or spaces distant therefrom, which main adaptor scale pointer '31 may also be iilesi rnated as a column width or value indicator. 21::- it shows the position of the first character in a maximum line of a column of prcdctcrmined width. indicated in the drawings at the right side of Figure ll), and in l igzures 5 to .l, as a column of rho normal maximum value of tens of thousands. The upper surface of this main rider element :19 is preferably provided with an auxiliary adapter scale 32 embodying numerals l. 3, etc., in consecutive order and co'uidis tantly spaced to correspoml with the graduations of the other mentioned scales. with the numeral thereof located in registration with the decimal indicator 2-30. and hence with the column value indicator ll disposed opposite to the position of the auxiliary scale nui'ncral 5. This auxiliarv adapter scale 32 may also be conveniently i'lcsignatcd as a column spacing indi tutor scale. because the highest number exposed thereon will inlit) dicate the number of spaces between columns, for which the adapter is set and as controlled by an auxiliary rider element now to be described.

This auxiliary indicator or rider element is shown detached,fat Figure l, as well as in its operative positions in the assembly views of the drawings. 1t embodies a slide member or body portion of short length, for mounting upon and longitudinal adjustment along said main rider 29, being provided with a pointer 36 or its equivalent, towards one end thereof, disposed for assoeiation with the scale 12 of the typewriting machine. The pointer 36 located three and one-half spaces or graduations distant from the other end of the body portion 35, which latter end is adapted for exposing the desired number on the column spacing indicator scale 32, with the-succeeding higher numbers thereof covered up. Although this auxiliary riders pointer 36 functions in additional relations under some conditions, as will later appear, in the preferred adaptation as illustrated it is essentially employed as a guide indicator for positioning the carriage, in the shiftings of the latter to the right for determining the positions for setting the tabulator stops on the tabulator rack bar. In other words the pointer 36, in the aforesaid shiftings of the carriage after the first shifting to the right, is always conjointly moved with the carriage to the preceding position last occupied by the carriage pointer 15, and hence this auxiliary rider pointer 36, or its equivalent, may also be conveniently referred to as a carriage positioning guide indicator, for a more definite designation of the same.

Both of the rider elements 29 and 35 could be offlatwise formation or of other cross-sectional structure than as actually shown, but when the upturned flange 18 is employed, as the mounting therefor, these rider members are preferably formed of springy metal and of substantially circular shape in cross-section, somewhat like an open-ended tube with a longitudinally slotted or slightly open bottom periphery. Thus the main rider 29 is adapted to clasp over the beaded upturned flange or front walllS, in gripping sliding relation therewith, and the auxiliary rider is adapted to clasp over the main. rider 29, in gripping sliding relation, so that the auxiliary rider is longitudinally adjustable both conjointly with and also independently of the longitudinally adjustable main rider 29, and either or both of these rider members may obviously be provided with. indented depressions or slight nfojections, if desired, to aid in the adjusting actuations of the same.

In describing the operations of the improvei'i'ients with particular reference to the style of typewriting machine partially illustrated, being a No. 5 Underwood machine, and the same in general principle will be true with other types of machines, the adapter device as a whole is attached to the carriage bar Ll, with the adapter positioning indicator 28 located two spaces or scale graduatioiiis to the left of the machine carriage pointer15.

Now, assuming that it is desired to tabulate, across the writing surface of the paper to be written on, in columns of a normal maximum line width of the numerical values of tens of thousands, the same being punctuated with segregating commas and decimal mark or otherwise in accordance with the adapter scale 26, with four spaces or scale graduatioi'is between columns, and with the last character of the last column to be located at the machine scale graduation 80, as is illustrated by the three columns at the right of Figurelt), the operations would then be as follows The riders 29 and should first be ad,- justed so that the column value indicator 31, of the main rider 29, would be opposite the digit representing tens of thousands on the main adapter scale 26, and with the auxiliary rider uncovering the numeral 4 on the auxiliary or column spacing indicator scale 32. This he igdone, the platen carriage is then first shifted towards the extreme left of the machine until the pointer 36, of the auxiliary rider 35, is opposite the machine scale graduation 80, as illustrated at Figure 6, or for that matter to any other of the machine scale graduations indicating where the last character of the last column of the typewritten page is to appear. In the given illustration, therefore, the machine pointer 15 will then be located opposite to the ma chine scale graduation (37 when the auxiliary riders pointer 36 is opposite the machine scale graduation 80. The spacing bar of the machine is now tapped live times, or the platen carriage otherwise moved so as to be shifted five spaces further to the left, which will provide for one space more than the indicated. desired spacing between columns, as represented by the-last uncovered numeral l of the auxiliary adapter scale 32. This will bring the parts to the positions shown at Figure 7, or withthe machine pointer 15 opposite the machine scale rgraduation 72, and with decimal indicator 30 opposite the nnu-hine scale graduation 78.

It follows, therefore, from Figure 7, that the machine scale graduation 72 indicates the position for s'etartiug a maximum line of the numerical value of tens of thousands in the last column of the sheet, where the last character of the line is to be located at the scale graduation 80, and that the machine scale graduation? 8 indicates'the position of the decimal of that last column line, so that lill') of the auxiliary rider 37 is opposite the machine scale graduation 72, which is the last preceding graduation at which the non Cl'lll'lCdQOlillQl was positioned. when as illustrated at Figure 8 the carriage pointer 15 will then be opposite the scale graduation 59. with the decimal indicator in registration with the scale graduation (37 lhe pointer 15 will therefore indicate the scale graduation 59. as the position on the tabulator rack bar to set a stop for starting said second column. whereas the indicator 30 will show the position tor setting a decimal stop at on the rax'li bar, it desired, so that the last character of the line o' that second column will be positit'med at the graduation 67, with tour spaces between it and the beginning of the last column at In an analogous manner to that just described. the carriage is again shifted to the right, for indicating the third column setting, until the pointer 36 of the auxiliary rider is opposite to the n achine scale graduation 59, as shown at Figure 9, when the machine pointer 15 will be opposite thc scale graduation 46, indicating the starting pointof the third column. and the pointer 30, or decimal indicator, of the main rider 29 will be opposite the scale graduation 52, indicating the decimal position of said third column.

These ujierations are repeated for as many columns as are to appear on the sheet and of the numerical 'aluations of tens of thousands, with four spaces between columns, but in the tourth column, from the right of Figure 10. the numerical value is indicated as being in the hundreds of thousands, with only three spaces between the third and fourth columns from the right. In figuring that adjustment, therefore, the main rider if) is tirst shifted to the left until its pointer 31 registers with the digit, ot the main adapter scale 26, representing hundreds ot thousandrii, and the auxiliary rider 235 is shill'cd to the right, on the main rider, to cover the numeral t on the auxiliary 21tlt1l lQT scale 32, leaving the. mnneral 3 as the highest one exposed. which will indicate three spaces between columns. The carriage is then shifted to the right as heretofore, for indicating; the positions for setting appropriate tabulator stops. So also, in figuring the settings tor the extreme left column, of Figure [0, indicating a columnar value line ot' millions with two spaces between columns, an analogous procedure is followed, as will be obvious.

With decimal tabulating typewriting machines n'opcr, it is only necessary. strictly speaking, to set a tabulator stop, on the tabulator rack bar, tor the decimal position, whether said tabulator stop is set manually or is key although the tabulator stops may be set tor the beginning of columns instead of the decimal positions. and as a matter of tact this is frequently done by many operators. \Vith typewriting machines not of the decimal tabulating typc, however, but which have a tabulator rack bar, it is then necessary to set the tabulator stops for the beginning of the columns. With such latter types of machines. therefore, my adapter device does not necessarily have to have the decimal indicator 30, and. also by the employment of the decimal indicator 30 it may not be strictly essential. to have the auxiliary scale 32, because it may readily be determined how many spaces are provided tor between colun'ins, by noting the number of spaces between the pointers 30 and 31. However, the inclusion of all oi thcsc tcatures is extremely desirable in aiding the eye, as well. as for the belt adaptation (it the improved device for use with various types 0t machines, and it may also ie said that the device itselt is very in'acticaale for visual indications even when used with machines that do not have tabulator rack bars.

dl'hen the pointer 36. of the auxiliary ruler 35, is set oppositely ot the pointer S1 of the main rider 2 in addition to its primary functioning, as a carriage positioning guide element. it will also in that: particular position indicate the position. of the first digit of the columns. when only one space is to be left between colm'nns, which is 'trequcntlv the case.

Finally, while I have more particularly described the improvements for use in connection with the tabulation ot columns ot numbers. having segregating commas and decimal mark, it is to be umlcrstood. as hcreinbctore ettprcssaul. that the improved device likewise tully adapted for use in connection with the tabulation of columns of figures not necessarily having punctuation marks. as wr-ll as in co umn 'orm writing generally. whether in numbers, words or otherwise, but in those events. ot' course, the main adapter scal. 26 would be oi appropriately altered form, than that actually shown in the drawings, in conformity with the class ot columnar tabulation to be done.

Having thus fully set forth the invention trorn various angles, itwill nevertheless be understood that I do not restrict mysclt Stl ill)

ltltl ill) lit)

to all details exactly as disclosed, except ing as they may come within the terms of the claims, or their equivalent, or as fairly interpreted in the light of the specification it necessary, as some changes may obviously he made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I do claim, however, as new and patentable, is

1. In typewriting machine attachments of the character disclosed, embodying an adapter with a scale thereon graduated to conform with the scale of the typewriting machine, and an adjust-ably mounted indicator member carrying a plurality of indicator means, one of which said indicator means is associated with said adapter scale, while another of which is adapted for association with said machine scale in separately adjustable relation therewith and. with said adapter scale indicator means.

2. In typewriting machine attachments of the character disclosed, enibodying an adapter with a scale thereon graduated to conform with the scale of the typewriting machine, and an adjustably mounted indicator member carrying a plurality of indicator means, one of which said indicator means is associated with said adapter scale, another of which is adapted for association with said machine scale, as a decimal indicator, in lixed relation to said adapter scale indicator means, while another of which is adapted for association with said machine scale in separately adjustable relation therewith and with said other scale indicator means.

3. In. a typewriting machine attachments of the character disclosed, embodying an adapter support with a scale thereon graduated to conform. with the scale of the typewriting machine, a main rider mounted for longitudinal adjustment along said support and carrying indicator means associated with said adapter scale, and an auxiliary rider mounted on said main rider for lon- ,-:ritudinal adjustmenttherealong and carrying indicator means adapted for association with said machine scale.

i. In typewritiug machine attachments of an the character desclosed, embodying adapter support with a scale thereon graduated to conform with the scale of the type writing machine, a main rider mounted for longitudinal adjustment along said support, which main rider carries indicator means associated withsaid adapter scale and also carries indicator means adapted for association with said machine scale, as a decimal indicator, in fixed relation to said adapter scale indicating means and four scale graduations distant therefrom, and an auxiliary rider mounted on said main rider forlongitudinal adjustment therealong and carrying indicator means adapted for association with said machine scale.

5. In a typewriting machine attachments of the character disclosed, embodying an adapter support with a main adapter scale thereon graduated to conform with the scale of the typewriting machine, a main rider mounted for longitudinal adjustment along said support, which main rider has indicator means, associated with said adapter scale, and also has an auxiliary adapter scale thereon graduated to conform with said.

other scales, and an auxiliary rider mounted on said main rider for longitudinal adjustment therealong, in column spacing indicating association with said auxiliary scale, and carrying indicator means adapted for association with said machine scale.

6. In typewriting machine attachments of the character disclosed, embodying an adapter support with a main adapter scale thereon graduated to conform with the scale of the typewriting machine, a main rider mounted for longitudinal adjustment along said support, which main rider carries indicator means associated with said main adapter scale, has an auxiliary adapter scale thereon, graduated to conform with said other scales, and also carries indicator means adapted for association with said machine scale, as a decimal indicator, in iixed relation to said main adapter scale indicating means and four scale graduations distant therefrom, and an auxiliary rider mounted on said main rider for longitudinal adjustment therealong, in column spacing indicating association with said auxiliary scale, and carrying indicator means adapted for association with said machine scale.

In testimony whereof, I afl'ix my signature.

JOHN LAWRENCE BALLARD. 

